U.S. aviation chief Randy Babbitt arrested for drunk-driving

Randy Babbitt on leave from FAA after drunk driving arrest

WASHINGTON — The top U.S. aviation safety official, Randy Babbitt, left his job temporarily on Monday following a drunken driving arrest over the weekend, Transportation Department officials said.

The Obama administration is in discussions with legal counsel about the status of Babbitt’s employment as Federal Aviation Administration administrator, the Transportation Department said in a statement.

Babbitt, 65, was pulled over on Saturday night in Fairfax, Virginia, for driving on the wrong side of the road, a police statement said.